Mallorca

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For mostly health reasons, DH and I haven't been abroad since a couple of years before lockdown. Gosh! Just realised that's 8 years now! I feel anxious about going away now, but we need to 'break that barrier' somehow. We won't be able to manage a summer holiday at all, so we want to go away this month (before half term) for a week.

Would people recommend we book flights and accommodation separately, or that we go with the likes of TUI? We're mostly interested in hiking, walking on the beach, visiting towns, trying the food. We're not bothered about all inclusive, swimming pools, entertainments, etc. I'd love some recommendations for accommodation that people have tried and loved. We're both in our 50s. Thanks!

Port de Soller is fab

Port de Soller or Puerto de Pollensa would be ideal for you. Personally I’d just book a package to keep things simple but if you did want to book everything separately, Mallorca is well serviced with excellent public transport, car hire, and taxi/transfer options.

I live near Pollensa which is great to visit. The port has lots of hotels, and there is a great walk you can do to Cala san vicenc. The port has buses to take you to Palma and Pollensa (plus other places) - Pollensa town has lots of fab restaurants. You can also get to Alcudia which has a very long beach for walking on. You can hire bikes too to get around on.

I’d use a package as it takes the stress out of it for you. Puerto de pollensa is lovely. Longer transfer time but you could get a private taxi if that was an issue. Lovely for your sort of age range and it’s more pricey so no riff raff lol

I’d look on Booking.com. Last time I went to Mallorca we stayed in a hotel with a pool, but I saw some gorgeous, inexpensive, boutique hotels without pools when I was looking, especially in small towns, e.g. Arte in the north of Mallorca. Or there are agrotourism (?) hotels which look beautiful but are often in the middle of nowhere. Whether or not you’ll hire a car / want to move around, makes a difference. Soller, Puerto de Pollenca, or Palma are all lovely. We loved the many beautiful coves on the east coast of the island for swimming.

Because of the fuel issues, I'd get a package deal as then you'd be protected.

Look at TUI, Jet2, easyJet holidays, BA holidays etc.

Cala D'Or is lovely.

Thank you, this is so helpful! I think I love the sound of Port de Soller!

One thing I should have mentioned upfront: we won't be using Booking.com. We had a terrible experience visiting DD at uni in Newcastle. The place was listed as 'luxurious' but had no running water at all, we couldn't even brush our teeth. We spent one night there, then had to fork out for a hotel for the second night. Booking.com simply didn't want to know and kept referring us back to the owner. It's added to my anxiety about going on holiday!

If it's not too cheeky, may I ask for some specific accommodation recommendations in Port de Soller?

If you have a healthy budget, look at the Hotel Es Port! Or even healthier, Hotel Esplendido

The hotel esplendido in port soller is so nice! In your case I’d book a package, doesn’t have to be tui, easy jet etc do them too. Then you’ve got peace of mind. You can sort out a private transfer if you don’t want to sit on a coach while it drops everyone off.

loads of hiking from port de soller and the bus service round the island is fab. It’s one of the few places I’ve been back to on holiday more than once,

if you use booking.com to search then decide to book independently go on to the hotel webisite directly or ring them. Booking.com takes so much commission.

Hotel Aimia in PDS is lovely.

Thanks again. I put this down to the fact that I haven't looked for holidays for liberally years as they were out of the question, but when I try to look for a flight + accommodation deal to Port de Soller I literally only get one from TUI which is Hotel Eden and leaves from Bournemouth which is unsuitable (we need to use Gatwick, Heathrow at a push).

Change the search box at the top, loads of flight choices.

There’s a few on Jet2 Holidays

I also hadnt been abroad for ages, last year when we went to Mallorca. We booked package with easyjet flying from Luton. It was fab! We stayed in alcudia, and whilst our accommodation was great, i probably wouldn't stay there again.

Soller is extremely popular and gets booked up months in advance. We've been to Mallorca many times and use Jet2. I can't fault them. Very good customer service. Pollenca being our favourite resort.

Thanks @Turnitoffnonagain. Even outside the usual holidays? We're not tied to half terms anymore.

Anyone familiar with FERGUS Style Soller Beach?

FERGUS Style Soller Beach - I've stayed there - nice hotel - great location as in easily walkable to tram stop etc. It was about 3 years ago so may have changed. It had a nice breakfast.

We stayed in one of the rooms at the back so didn't have a balcony or a view - they also have another block of rooms a couple of minutes walk away.

I wished we'd upgraded to a room with a balcony on the front as that would have given us somewhere to sit in the evening. But it was full when we got there.

What we did that trip was about 4 nights in Port de Soller and then got the tram and the train to Palma (lovely trip) and stayed in Palma for a couple of nights - really like Palma - great city.